Website analysis

Their About page gives a little history: "Along the way, 3 patents on the procedures were obtained by Mr. Cole with the technology growing from tweezers (one hair treated at a time) to transdermal ( a few hairs treated at one time) to the current Transcutaneous method (hundreds of hairs treated at one time). Their "manufacturing facility is also in North Carolina with all components made and assembly done there."

Cole is CEO and founder. He has "a chain of beauty salons in the Pinehurst and Southern Pines area of North Carolina." Chandler does the research ("concentrating on skin care problems"). He also does the training and "lecturing worldwide." (i.e. selling the devices at beauty conventions)

The IHRS products page states the SuperPhaser Gold is "the world’s fastest and safest permanent hair removal method, now with the new Transcutaneous Electrode Patch." Their SuperPhaser Gold description says it’s "capable of using up to 12 Transcutaneous Patches at one time,"and that "most owners of the Super-Phaser Gold are making over $100/hour doing the treatments."

"What is advertised is not always the truth. Some of the methods claim permanence, but have no scrutinizable scientific proof that they are truly permanent."

There is no published clinical data that shows these devices can achieve permanent hair removal.

On bogus electric tweezer data:

"The problem with tweezer thermolysis lies with the fact that it is impossible to induce a dry hair to conduct a high frequency current. While the companies theorize that the current reaches the papilla in other ways (like through the melanine channel), there is no controlled scientific data to support the claims. What actually occurs is that the current dissipates from the end of the tweezers (like the end of the thermolysis needle). The current heats the tweezers and heats the hair that the tweezers are touching. There is no effect on the papilla or the stem cells. In fact, the United States Food and Drug Administration states that tweezer thermolysis is no better than manually tweezing. The only research that is used to show that tweezer thermolysis works are small single patient uncontrolled studies which do not pass the usual scientific scrutiny. "

The data presented by Chandler does not pass scientific scrutiny, either.

On gels used to enhance hair removal effectiveness:

First, the substance applied to the skin cannot penetrate the hair follicle. A normal hair follicle is closed from the outside world by the seal made by the growing hair and the oil produced by the sebaceous gland. If this were not true, all manner of foreign bodies would be contained in the follicle, including bacteria and constant infections. On the contrary, we know that the follicle is sterile and very well protected. There are solutions that when applied to the skin are absorbed into the upper hair follicle through the transfollicular route, but these do not include carbon and dye suspensions like used by Thermolase.

The conductive gel used by IHRS doesn’t go into the follicle, either. That means most of the energy dissipates on the skin’s surface. If any does get into the skin, it’s not enough to cause permanent hair removal.

Final note: comparison shop

The IHRS products cost thousands of dollars more than any other their transcutaneous competitors. If this information doesn’t convince you to avoid transcutaneous electrolysis, you should at least comparison shop. See my comparison of transcutaneous devices.

Alternate spellings for these products include Super-Phaser Gold, Super-Phazer, Super Phaser Gold, and the SPG method. The TransQ-2000 is also sometimes called the Trans Q 2000, Trans-Q-2000, TQ-2000, TQ 2000, TQ2000, and the TQ2K. The Pinnacle 1250 is also sometimes called the TC System (for Transcutaneous System), the TD System (for Transdermal System), the TE System (originally for Transdermal Electrolysis, now for Transcuateous Electrolysis) or the TQ System (For Transcutaneous System). The procedure is sometimes referred to as Hands-Free electrolysis, Patch Electrolysis, No Needle Electrolysis, Non-invasive Electrolysis, Cotton swab electrolysis, or Q-Tip electrolysis. Older models include the TE 229, SuperPhazer, TE 429, Super Faser, TE 629, SuperFazer. The company has operated under several names, including American Hair Removal System (AHRS), Carolina Institute of Dermology, Eloc Manufacturing, and Trillion Medical Resources (TMR).

Note: due to misinformation received from Medical College of Georgia, this site had suggested a connection between Dr. Wm. Marcus Chandler (MCG ’68) and Dr. Mark H. Chandler (MCG ’83), both physicians practicing in North Carolina. Hairfacts regrets this error.

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